Cercis plant named ‘JN21’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cercis  plant named ‘JN21’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; relatively vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; relatively large, thick and glossy leaves that are dark red purple in color when developing; and good garden performance and cold hardiness.

Botanical designation: Cercis canadensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JN21’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Cercis plant, botanically known as Cercis canadensis, commercially referred to as Eastern Redbud and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘JN21’.

The new Cercis plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Belvidere, Tenn. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Cercis plants with large attractive leaves and cold hardiness.

The new Cercis plant originated from an open-pollination of an unnamed selection of Cercis canadensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Cercis canadensis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cercis plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Belvidere, Tenn. in April, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cercis plant by chip budding onto a proprietary seedling Cercis rootstock in a controlled environment in Belvidere, Tenn. since September, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Cercis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Cercis have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘JN21’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘JN21’ as a new and distinct Cercis plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Relatively vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Relatively large, thick and glossy leaves that are dark red         purple in color when developing.     -   4. Good garden performance and cold hardiness.

Plants of the new Cercis can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Cercis differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Cercis are larger, thicker and         glossier than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Developing leaves of plants of the new Cersis are dark red         purple in color whereas developing leaves of plants of the         female parent selection are green in color.

Plants of the new Cercis can be compared to plants of Cercis reniformis ‘Oklahoma’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cercis differ primarily from plants of ‘Oklahoma’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cercis are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Oklahoma’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cercis have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Oklahoma’.     -   3. Plants of the new Cersis are more cold hardy than plants of         ‘Oklahoma’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cercis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cercis plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical three-year old tree of ‘JN21’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of typical leaves of ‘JN21’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘JN21’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe trees grown during the spring and summer in an outdoor nursery in Belvidere, Tenn. and Park Hill, Okla. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Cercis production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 30° C. and night temperatures averaged 26° C. Plants were two years old when the description was taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cercis canadensis ‘JN21’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Cercis             canadensis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Cercis             canadensis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By chip budding onto a proprietary seedling Cercis             rootstock.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous tree; relatively compact             plant habit; overall shape, broad oval; vigorous growth             habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 11 to 15             primary branches each with about 8 to 11 secondary branches.         -   Plant height.—About 1.9 meters.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 1.5 meters. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—Variable depending on position on the tree, average,             about 70 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Aspect.—Moderately upswept, about 45° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong, firm.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Color.—Developing, close to N202A; at the internodes, close             to N200A; developed, close to N200A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.         -   Length.—About 14.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 13.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Reniform.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N186A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N79B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N77A; venation,             close to 132A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B and 59C; venation, close to 59A. Autumn leaf color,             upper surface: Close to 151C. Autumn leaf color, lower             surface: Close to 144C tinged with close to 161B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 202A. Color, lower surface: Close to 187B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single             papilionaceous flowers arranged in terminal and axillary             racemes with about seven flowers per raceme; freely             flowering habit with about 8,000 flowers developing during             the flowering season; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Cercis flower in             the mid-spring in Oklahoma; flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 202A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Typically five petals in a single whorl             with upper three petals forming a banner (or standard) petal             and lower petals forming a keel. Length, banner: About 6 mm.             Length, keel: About 2.5 mm. Width, banner: About 2 mm.             Width, keel: About 1 mm. Shape, all petals: Roughly ovoid.             Apex, all petals: Rounded. Base, all petals: Rounded.             Margin, all petals: Entire. Texture and luster, all petals:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, all petals: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78B. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to N74B; color does not change             with development.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Typically five sepals in a single             whorl; calyx roughly ovoid in shape. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute to rounded.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 60B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 60D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Aspect: About 30° from the stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:             Close to 71B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About ten             per flower. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color:             Close to 69D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About             0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 18C. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 161B. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style             length: About 7.5 mm. Style color: Close to 71C. Stigma             diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 137B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Cercis. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cercis have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Cercis have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Cercis plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Cercis plant named ‘JN21’ as illustrated and described. 